Duolingo to IELTS converter
Duolingo 120 equals IELTS 6.5 and Duolingo 130 equals IELTS 7.0, by Duolingo's official table.
10Steps of 5160
Duolingo 120 is about
IELTSBands 4.0–9.0
6.5
Duolingo, 2022 table, rechecked 2025
Duolingo 120 is about IELTS 6.5.
Get a study plan for 6.5Duolingo subscores and IELTS skills
Since October 2025, Duolingo also compares its four subscores with IELTS skill bands. Writing is the exception at the top: Duolingo's sample had no IELTS Writing scores above 8.0, so a Writing subscore of 160 covers IELTS 7.5 to 9.0.
| IELTS | Listening10–160 | Reading10–160 | Writing10–160 | Speaking10–160 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 65–70 | 65–70 | –No published equivalent | 65 |
| 4.5 | 75–80 | 75–80 | 65–75 | 70–80 |
| 5.0 | 85–90 | 85–95 | 80–90 | 85–90 |
| 5.5 | 95–100 | 100–105 | 95–105 | 95–105 |
| 6.0 | 105–110 | 110–115 | 110–125 | 110–115 |
| 6.5 | 115–120 | 120–125 | 130–140 | 120–125 |
| 7.0 | 125–130 | 130 | 145–150 | 130–140 |
| 7.5 | 135 | 135–140 | 155–160 | 145 |
| 8.0 | 140–145 | 145 | 160 | 150–155 |
| 8.5 | 150 | 150 | 160 | 160 |
| 9.0 | 155–160 | 155–160 | 160 | 160 |
How the two tests compare
The Duolingo English Test is taken online, takes about an hour, and reports one overall score from 10 to 160 in steps of 5, plus four subscores. IELTS has four separately timed sections and reports bands from 0 to 9.
Duolingo's overall table dates from 2022. In October 2025 Duolingo tested it again with 1,942 people who had official IELTS results, and kept it unchanged.
Your converted score is not an official score
Universities, employers and visa offices set their own minimum for each test. When one names a TOEFL, PTE or Duolingo score, that score is the one you need.
Check the requirement on the institution's own website, or compare universities in our university IELTS requirements search.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents, checked on 10 October 2026.
- Duolingo. Duolingo English Test: understand scoring (score comparison charts)
- Duolingo. A concordance study between the DET and IELTS Academic subscores (DRR-24-05). Published October 2025
Score comparisons are approximate, because each one depends on who took both tests in that study.
TOEFL and TOEFL iBT are trademarks of ETS, PTE Academic of Pearson, and the Duolingo English Test of Duolingo. GoPrep is not affiliated with ETS, Pearson, Duolingo or the IELTS partners.
Frequently asked questions
What is 120 Duolingo in IELTS?
Duolingo 120 equals IELTS 6.5. Duolingo's table puts 120 and 125 at band 6.5.
What is 7.5 IELTS in Duolingo?
IELTS 7.5 equals Duolingo 140–145.
What Duolingo score equals IELTS 6.5?
Duolingo 120–125. For IELTS 7.0 you need 130–135.
Is Duolingo 105 equal to IELTS 6?
Yes. Duolingo's table puts 105, 110 and 115 at IELTS 6.0.
Can I use Duolingo instead of IELTS?
Only where the institution says so. Many universities accept the Duolingo English Test, but many visa systems require IELTS or another approved test. Check the official requirement before you book.
Does Duolingo convert to the new TOEFL scale?
Duolingo publishes a table against the old TOEFL 0–120 scale only. Our converter estimates TOEFL through IELTS and marks those numbers as estimates.
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